The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-02-14
Shall Portland be Made way
Station?

StaktOu
To the Editor Of the Press:
We have not seen it stated anywhere
among the various reasons advanced in sup
port of the location of the great union pas
senger station at the west end of Con-
gress street-that the residents of the west
ern part of the city prefer that location ON
account of the noise and smoke that must
arise from the constant running of trains
and shifting engines day and night. Neither
have we seen the statement in any paper
that the management of the Maine General
Hospital desire that location in order to in
crease the comfort and welfare of the pa
tlents. The business men have not been
quoted as preferring the Congress street to
the Maple street location, because the latter
spot is situated nearer their places of bust
ness, and they can go to their Offices after
breakfast, open their mall set their business
in motion, and still have ample time to
catch the morning trains, at the Maple
street station for Boston, Montreal, or any
other point. Those who advocate the loca-
ton at the west end of Congress street
claim that. with station at that point, all
delay to trains-that otherwise would have
to enter the city-will be avoided. In other
words quick transit will be afforded tourists
and traders from all directions by, instead of
into. Portland. Tables have been printed
showing the number of minutes the time be-
tween Boston and the summer resorts will
be lessened by the location OF the station on
Congress street.
DO the business men of Portland advocate
making the city way station? 1t is a we'll
known fact that the progressive business
men, OF tne large commercial centres, have
used their influence successfully for central
locations for the principal stations in their
cities, In addition to the suburban ones like
Congress street. 1t is only recently that the
business men of Philadelphia, realizing the
Deneht that would accrue to the city by
having more central location for the prin-
clpai station In their city, united with the
oilclals OF the Pennsylvania Railway to that
end, and the result is the present Broad
street station in the heart of PHILADELPHIA. at
cost OF many millions of dollars to the
!r,ennsy wanna kallroad. The advocates of
the abandoned suburban station in Philadel
pnla, a station less suburban to Philadel-
phia than Congress street is to Portland.
inquired there, as here, the number of min
utes that would be lost by running the trains
into the heart of Philadelphia, but the bus
mess men figured upon the number of min
utes saved to them and their statesmen in
going TO and from a central station, and
upon the commercial advantages to be de-
rived rom landing passengers in the heart of
The railroad officials and business men
wisely. decided that their interests were
mutual, and therefore adopted the central
location.
Let u.s.. then, keep the Congress street
station, to be used as it is now, as a stop
ping place for trains. Those who care to 90
SO far in order to take the trains can do SO.
The station will accommodate all those who
care to use it. But give the public before it
is too late central location in the city for the
principal station in addition, so that business
men from all parts of the State, and tourists
from all parts of the country, may be
brought into the heart of our city, near the
doors OF our wholesale and retail houses, and
OF our hotels, and near, also, to the landings
OF our steamers that run to the islands, to
Bar Harbor and other pleasure resorts
along our coast.
Let us not advocate the building of station
which has for its foundation alone the maxi
ing of Portland way station, and the en-
rlching, at the expense of the commercial in
terests of Portland, of any syndicate that
may have been formed for the purpose of
specializing in land
COMMERCIAL STREET.